The 61st independence anniversary was marked with parades in the regional and district capitals throughout the country yesterday.

This year’s celebration was on the theme: “Ghana Beyond Aid.”

From Tarkwa, Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah reports that participants from first and second cycle institutions in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality in the Western Region converged on the Tarkwa and Aboso (T&A) Park to perform the march past in commemoration of the anniversary celebration parade yesterday.

Also present at the function and participating were representatives of the various political parties, voluntary organisations, cadet corps, artisans, assembly members and heads of department, with a mass band from Presby regiment and Fiaseman Senior High School regimental group providing inspirational music.

In Koforidua, George Folley reports that 1,184 schoolchildren took part in the parade at the Koforidua Jackson Park.

They were made up of 20 basic schools, nine senior high schools and eight cadet corps as well as eight contingents of the security services.

The parade, commanded by Captain Erasmus D. Yeyeava, from the First Infantry Battalion witnessed a turn out of men and women from the security services and schoolchildren who marched to the admiration of the gathering.

Schoolchildren from Nana Kwaku Boateng Basic School displayed spectacular gymnastics as well as a combined display from the security services to mark their preparedness to combat crime in the country.

Students and pupils from 10 senior high schools, 22 junior high schools and 23 basic schools including cadet corps from five schools took part in the parade in Bolgatanga, reports Alhandu Abdul-Hamid.

Personnel from the security services, including a contingent from the Ghana Airborne Force on peacekeeping mission in the Upper East Region and some community-based organisations, non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations also took part in the parade.

A delegation from the Savannah Region of Togo which has sister-city relations with the Upper East Region also graced the occasion.

Because of the intensity of the weather at this time of the year, which is scorching, the schoolchildren arrived at the parade grounds as early as 7 a.m. followed by the dignitaries. The parade started at 7.30 and ended at 10.30 a.m.

At the end of parade, schools that distinguished themselves were awarded with prizes.

The Boys and Girls Brigade took part in the parade at Tema

Benjamin Xornan Glover reports from the Tema Stadium that more than 900 pupils and students from public and private basic schools, second cycle and voluntary organisations including the boys scout and boys and girls brigade took part in a march past.

The occasion was also used by the Metropolitan Education Directortate to honour students from Chemu SHS, Methodist Day SHS and Tema Senior Secondary School who placed first, second and third respectively in a pre-independence day debate competition

Students of First Star Academy and State School for the deaf entertained the audience with gymnastics and cultural dance performance respectively.

Thirty-two contingents of basic and senior high schools, eight contingents from security services, five cadet corps from private and public senior high schools and some voluntary organisations participated in the parade in Ho, reports Tim Dzamboe.

All schools which participated in the parade were presented with certificates with the Sonrise Airforce Cadet coming first, OLA Girls Naval Cadet came second, with Mawuko Girls Police Cadet coming third in the competition among the five cadet corps.

Enthusiastic and neatly dressed school pupils thronged the Swedru Sports Stadium as early as 6:30 a.m. to participate in the parade, reports Gilbert Mawuli Agbey.

A total of 42 primary and junior high schools and four senior high schools took part in the march past.

Taking the salute were the Municipal Chief Executive for Agona West Municipality, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, the Member of Parliament for Agona West, Mrs Cynthia Morrison, and Nana Kweku Essieni V, the Nifahene of Agona Swedru.

In the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, the mass bandmade up of the army, police and prison bands, won the admiration of the crowd that gathered at the Jubilee Park to witness this year’s Independence Day march past, reports Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor from the Ashanti Regional capital of Kumasi.

There were beautiful displays by schoolchildren in Koforidua

It was a spectacle to behold when they were later joined by their ‘children’ from the school mass band, made up of the T I Ahmadiyya Senior High School, Opoku Ware Senior High School and the Good Shepherd Basic School, combined their efforts and switched from one mass band to the other in providing music for the schools as they marched past.

Another departure from previous celebrations in the Ashanti Region this year was a quiz competition on breast cancer organised by the Regional Coordinating Council in partnership with the Ghana Education Service and Breast Care International.

T I Ahmadiyya, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Senior High School and Kumasi Girls Senior High School came first, second and third respectively and took home a desktop computer, a Public Addressing system and LCD flat-screen TV in that order.

According to the President of Breast Care International, Dr Beatrice Wiafe Addai, from next year, the competition would be extended to cover all non-communicable diseases and not limited to breast cancer alone.

Deborah Oluwamuyiwa reports that in Cape Coast the parade was formed by contingents from the Police Service, the Ghana Prisons Service, the Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Immigration Service.

The Winneba Police School Regimental Band was also in attendance.

Ten junior high schools, 10 basic schools, six senior high schools and six cadet corps from the Cape Coast Metropolis also participated in the parade.

Smartly- dressed personnel from the various security agencies, schoolchildren from both public and private basic and second cycle institutions as well as some voluntary organisations took part in the parade held at the Jubilee Park in Tamale, reports Samuel Duodu.

Also in attendance at the parade was the cadet corps of the Ghana Senior High School - SHS (GHANASCO), Tamale Girls SHS, Vitting SHS and the Maharu Junior High School (JHS).

The parade also attracted a large crowd including children and the elderly who defied the early morning scorching sun to witness the parade reviewed by the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Saeed, and the Regional Director of Education, Alhaji Mohammed Haroon.

From Abokobi, Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson reports that hundreds of people turned up at the Abokobi Park to witness the Independence Day parade organised by the Ga East Municipal Assembly.

Drenched in sweat from the scortching sun, students, market women and workers took turns to march in honour of the country’s 61st birthday, amid clapping and shouting from the elated crowd.

But the parade was not only to honour the country, but a keenly fought competition to identify the school that distinguished itself.

Atomic Basic School won the competition, beating more than 10 schools to the top prize.

About 15 people collapsed during the parade organised by the Ledzokuku Krowor Municipal Assembly (LEKMA), reports Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori.

Aside the parade, there were other activities including a cultural display, taekwondo performances, drum language poetry and a march past by contingents, after which schools that performed during the march were rewarded.

More than 1,500 students from 20 schools, including primary, junior high and senior high schools in the municipality, came together to take part in the parade to mark the anniversary.

A total of 1,216 pupils and students from 32 public and private basic, senior high and tertiary educational institutions participated in the 61st anniversary celebration of Ghana’s independence parade at Akyem Oda in the Birim Central Municipality, reports Samuel Kyei-Boateng.

From Sunyani, Biiya Mukusah Ali, reports that the ceremony, which was held at the Jubilee Park in Sunyani, brought together 2,688 students from 83 schools and 29 cadet corps in the Sunyani Municipality.

Also on parade were six contingents of security personnel drawn from the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prison Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Immigration Service and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority as well as social groups and Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWDs).

The parade, which was under the command of the Third Infantry Battalion, Captain Eric Kuntum Blackson, was graced by dignitaries including the President of the Regional House of Chiefs, Pimampim Yaw Kagbrese, the National President of the Queen Mothers Association, Nana Abena Boatemaa, and the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, Dr (Mrs) Evelyn Ama Kumi-Richardson.

Awards were presented to the winning schools and some students who had excelled in the 2017 Basic Education Certification Examination (BECE).

From Nadowli, Emmanuel Modey reports that 600 school children drawn from five selected first and second cycle institutions under the leadership of Mr Graham Banama, Leading Fire Man (LFM), Jirapa Ghana National Fire Service, took part in the parade at the Nadowli L/A School Park.

They were drawn from the Nadowli D/A, Victory Nursery, Saint Nobert, Nadowli R/C, Christian Academy, Kalsegra R/C, Nadowli Model, Nadowli E/A basic schools. The rest are Takpo, St Augustine, Kaleo, Queen of Peace and Basilide Senior High Schools (SHS), as well as two cadet corps from the St Augustine and Queen of Peace SHS with patriotic songs provided by the students of the Knight of Marshall regimental band.

Makafui Adzo Aklorbortu reports that 1,200 students from 22 institutions from both basic and second cycle instiutions in the municipality took part in the parade organised by the La Nkwantanang Madina Municipal Assembly (LaNMMA).